The Department of Writing and Rhetoric

The Department of Writing and Rhetoric (WRT) provides a broad range of instruction and service for the university and is grounded in contemporary theory and research related to the discipline of rhetoric and composition.

Coursework in writing and rhetoric is designed to address the evolving nature of persuasion and written communication in the 21st century. The department offers a Bachelor of Arts degree that prepares students for work as writers, editors, new media composers, and educators in a variety of public, private, and educational settings. The major and minor offer students tracks in professional writing, writing for new media and writing as a discipline. Courses on the graduate level include those on the teaching of writing and writing for new media.

Our classes emphasize an innovative educational experience in both the theories and practices of writing and rhetoric, engaging students in general education classes that support the undergraduate curriculum at Oakland University. The first year program includes courses in basic writing, college reading and critical thinking and a two-semester sequence of courses that introduces students to academic research and argument in a 21st Century context. The upper-level courses focus on research and writing in a variety of genres and contexts, such as creative non-fiction, business writing, writing for human resource development, digital storytelling, and writing across academic disciplines. Underlying all of our courses is an emphasis on new media technologies and civic engagement.